| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: "What does 'illconvenient' mean?" Bruno whispered to Sylvie.
"The difference between 'convenient' and 'inconvenient' is best
explained by an example," said the Other Professor, who had overheard
the question. "If you'll just think over any Poem that contains the
two words--such as--"
The Professor put his hands over his ears, with a look of dismay.
"If you once let him begin a Poem," he said to Sylvie,
"he'll never leave off again! He never does!"
"Did he ever begin a Poem and not leave off again?" Sylvie enquired.
"Three times," said the Professor.
Bruno raised himself on tiptoe, till his lips were on a level with
Sylvie and Bruno |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: Huguenot, Georges de Chaverny is killed."
The countess turned pale and dropped into a chair. She saw the secret
of the devilish smile on her husband's face.
"Monsieur," she said in a voice of emotion, "you know well that I
loved my cousin Chaverny. You will answer to God for the pain you
inflict upon me."
At these words the eye of the count glittered; his lips trembled, but
he could not utter a word, so furious was he; he flung his dagger on
the table with such violence that the metal resounded like a thunder-
clap.
"Listen to me," he said in his strongest voice, "and remember my
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: a rich notary should wish to inspect a volume costing fifteen francs
before deciding on the purchase. Your clever man never condescends to
study the middle-class, who escape his ken by this want of attention;
and while he is making game of them, they are at leisure to throttle
him.
So one day early in January 1837, Madame Cardot and her daughter took
a hackney coach and went to the Rue des Martyrs to return the parts of
/Gil Blas/ to Felicie's betrothed, both delighted at the thought of
seeing Lousteau's rooms. These domiciliary visitations are not unusual
in the old citizen class. The porter at the front gate was not in; but
his daughter, on being informed by the worthy lady that she was in the
The Muse of the Department |
